How to Become a Nurse Writer
A nurse writer brings a clinical perspective to projects like blogs, articles, emails, and much more. If you enjoy writing and synthesizing information and are looking for a job that lets you work from home as a nurse, you might be interested in being an LPN or RN freelance writer. Let’s go over what it’s like to work in this role and how to get started.
Many companies and organizations need writers to help inform the public and market their business. Nurse writers might work as content writers, copywriters, medical writers, health journalists, or something else. Check out some of the types of companies that may hire nurse writers:
- Medical device companies
- Private physicians offices
- Nurse staffing companies
- Medical consulting groups
- Legal groups
- Medical apps
- Medical nonprofits
- Nursing education companies
What Are Nurse Writers and What Do They Do?
Nurse writers typically bring expertise in a specialty area, and they use that background to write for businesses. So, for example, if you have experience in the NICU, you might be well-positioned to write blogs for an app that supports parents of premature infants.
But don’t feel limited by your clinical specialty — your nursing research and critical thinking skills can also benefit you when writing about other topics. For example, a nurse resume writer may not need experience in a specific area to help clients write their CVs with confidence.
What types of responsibilities can you expect in this role? That will largely depend on the organization and its needs. In general, nurse writers use the following skills:
- Researching: You may need to spend time combing through scholarly sources, research, interviews, and client documents to prepare to write about a topic.
- Drafting: You guessed it — you’re going to need to write in order to be a writer. This process may include outlining, transcribing interviews, working on second and third drafts, and more.
- Getting feedback: Whether it’s a client or an editor, nurse writers need to be able to take constructive criticism about their work to improve the final draft.
- Self-marketing: Being a freelance nurse writer requires marketing yourself to establish a client list. But if you’re looking for more stability, some nurses in this role work as part of in-house writing teams.
Strengths Required to Be a Nurse Writer
What personality traits could indicate that you’d be great in this role?
- Being self-motivated: There’s no set path to building nurse writing skills, so this career requires the ability to think and learn independently.
- Practicing time management: Many freelance writers work on their own schedules. You’ll need to manage assignments and predict project setbacks so they don’t affect deadlines.
- Stepping out of your comfort zone: Pursuing a nontraditional path takes guts. You’ll need to learn from mistakes, experiment, and try new things to widen your skills.
Pros and Cons of Being a Nurse Writer
Nurses are drawn to this field for the flexibility and the chance to step away from the physically demanding work at the bedside. Nurse writers may also be able to work from anywhere, so it’s a great role if you want to travel or have time for family. You’ll also be extending your nursing knowledge into new areas, so even though you may not use your physical skills, you’ll still be learning and growing.
However, every role has disadvantages. Professional writing can come with feelings of impostor syndrome and rejection. It can be hard to know what to charge when you’re starting your career. Working as a freelancer means you may worry about where your next project — and paycheck — is coming from. Writing roles can also be more subject to economic changes than clinical jobs, so there may be less stability in this field than in the general nursing job market.
Nurse Writer: Salary Averages
Nurse writers earn about $85,000 per year on average. The income you can expect in this role varies widely depending on your experience, the types of clients or companies you work with, and how many projects you take on.
How to Become an LPN or RN Writer: 4 Steps
You can start getting practice with writing projects before you’ve even started nursing school, so the path to this career could be shorter than others. Additional education in creative writing, marketing, or communications could be a big benefit. If you’re already a working nurse, skip ahead to step four to learn about going from LPN or RN to writer.
Step 1: Nursing School
Every nursing career starts with nursing school. You might choose the shorter route of becoming an LPNnurse writer, which will take at least a year. If you’re looking for a license with more career options, consider becoming an RN. There are two tracks to do so:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): A 2-year degree that prepares students for entry-level nursing jobs in post-acute care, acute care, and other bedside positions.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): A 4-year degree that prepares you for the same roles as an ADN, plus roles in research, administration, and more. BSN programs also typically include prerequisites in language and electives in writing.
Step 2: Earn Your License
Once you graduate, it’s time to earn your LPN or RN license. This process typically includes:
- Applying for licensure by exam through your state board of nursing.
- Scheduling your National Council Licensure Exam once your application is approved.
- Passing the NCLEX that pertains to your license.
Once you’ve earned your license (and sometimes even before that), you can start looking for new grad nursing jobs.
Step 3: Gain Clinical Experience
Nurse writers are valued not just for their licenses but also for their practical knowledge, so most employers look to hire nurses with clinical experience. You might get started by entering a new grad residency program, offered in acute care hospitals. These programs add structure to the first year of work and group you with a cohort of other new nurses.
Residency programs are offered in a range of specialties, including:
Step 4: Build Your Writing Business
Before jumping into writing full-time, consider taking on a few projects on the side. It doesn’t take many projects to build a portfolio for potential clients. There are many ways that nurse writers find work. Consider the following ideas for growing your business as an LPN or RN writer:
- If you’ve never worked with clients before, reach out to nonprofits to see if they need help with web pages, emails, or other written communications.
- Take a course to add structure to your learning and development. There isn’t an accredited nurse writer certification, so do your due diligence when researching these options.
- Develop a presence on social media to promote your work. This will help you get the word out and show clients that you’re serious.
Nurse Writing FAQ
Is being a nurse writer worth it?
It takes dedication and tenacity to enter and maintain a career in this field. But if you enjoy writing, flexibility, and a challenge, this role could be a great fit.
Is AI taking nurse writing jobs?
The answer is nuanced. Some companies may try to replace human writers with AI, and this can be frustrating if you’ve spent years building your writing skills. On the other hand, unchecked AI is often inaccurate, formulaic, or imprecise. Nurse writers are valued for their unique expertise and creativity, which can’t be replicated by chatbots. Learn more about the role of AI in nursing.
Find Roles with IntelyCare
Looking for a change? Whether you want to begin the journey to become a nurse writer or you’re just checking out your options, you might be curious about roles for nurses in your area. We can help. Learn more with personalized job notifications that let you know when opportunities arise.